Acetylene-gas generator.



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IN VENTOR.

PATENTEDMAR. 17, 1903;

W. WEB-B. AGETYLENB GAS GENERATOR. I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20 1902 m:uoams PCYERS co, mumumn. WASHWGTGN.'D. 51

no MODEL:

WITNESSES.

I No. 723,092,.

UNITED STATES I P TENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM WEBB, OF YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONF-HALF TO BENJAMINF. SAVERY, OF YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,092, dated March17, 1903.

Application filed June 20, 1902.

To all whom it may concern): 7 Be it known that 1, WILLIAM WEBB, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Ypsilanti, in thecounty ofWashtenaw p the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to that class of acetylene-gas generators inwhich the carbid-holder is suspended in avessel containing water andautomaticallyrises and falls, thereby regulating the production of gasaccording to its consumption. The invention consists in the novelconstruction, arrangement, and operation of parts, as more fullyhereinafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is avertical central section through the generator and thegas-receiver. Fig. 2 is a plan of the generator, and Fig. 3 is a sectionof the carbid-holder detached.

My gas-generator consists of a generator and a gas-holder separate fromeach other, the construction of which is as-follows:

A represents the carbid-holder.

13 represents legs supporting the holder, and O is an open-ended tubecentrally secured in the carbid-holder and extending some distance aboveand below the bottom thereof, the portion above, extending to the top ofthe holder, being perforated.

D is a gas-bell in which the carbid-holder is removably supported in anysuitable manner, preferably by means of cotter-keys a passing throughcorresponding holes formed in the lower ends of the legs and theadjacent wall of the gas-bell with which the legs are in contact andwhich support the carbidholder out of contact with the bell.

The gas-bell D floats in a water-tank G, which is provided with a coverF, held in place by a cross-bar E, having a central aperture b, in whichthe gas-bell is vertically guided by means of a tube H, secured to thetop of the gas-bell and communicating with the interior thereof.- Thetube H carries a check-flange c, which contacts the cover at the heightto which the gas-bell may rise in the tank, and the upper end is closedand Serial No. 112,434. (No model.)

provided with an air-cock I. The cross-bar E is hinged at cl andprovided with-a clasp e or other suitable device for locking the same inplace.

J is the gas-delivery pipe secured in the bottom of the tank and extendsupwardly therein through the tubes 0 and II to about theheightofthetank.Thereitcommunicates with the interior of the tube 'H and passing outthrough the bottom of the tank connects with the service-pipe K and withthe gasholder under control of a stop-cock L.

The gas holder consists of theusual watertank M and a gas-bell N, whichis suitably guided to rise and fall vertically and carries a weight 0.The gas-delivery pipe from the generator enters the tank through thebottom and extends up inside to above the level of the water. 7 I

P is a gas-escape pipe leading to the atmosphere. The inner end of thispipe extends through the bottom of the tank upward to above the heightof the water within an outer and larger pipe Q, carried by the gas-belland which is closed on the top but open at the bottom, all arranged in aknown manner for the purpose of forming an escape for the gas from theholder in case the supply of gas should at any time exceed the capacityof the holder.

From this construction and arrangement of parts it will be seen that thegas-bell of the generator is free to drop down into its tank low enoughto permit the water to find access into the carbid-holder through theperforations in the upper portion of the tube 0, and gas will begenerated if the holder is charged. The gas thus generated willaccumulate in the bell D, and from there it has access through the tubeH and the delivery-pipe J into the gas-holder. If the gas-bell of theholder is sufficiently weighted to have equal buoyancy with that of thegenerator (which carries the carbid-holder) or slightly less, thegeneration of gas will raise the bell of the generator, and thus preventthe further access of water to the carbid. The gas-bell will rise untilthe check-flange c strikes the under side of the cover F, and all gasgenerated will then flow into the holder until the generation ceases. Ifgas is drawn off through the service-pipe, it will be delivered from theholder until it is exhausted, or nearly so, when the gas-bell of thegenerator will gradually fall until the water again flows into theholder,'

and the operation will be repeated.

If the generator needs recharging, it can be done at any time by firstclosing the stop-cock L and then opening the air-valve I. This lets thegasbell D sink to the bottom, withdrawing the tube I-I sufficiently toallow the cover to be opened and the bell removed, and by drawing outthe pins a the gas-bell can be lifted olT from the carbid-holder, andthe latter be cleaned and recharged. It is obvious that the cover F maybe dispensed with, leaving the top of the tank open, and the crossbar Ewill serve as the guide and stop for the bell.

Suitable safety devices to prevent an improper manipulation of the cooksand valves in recharging may also be provided, together with such otherappliances-as drain-cocks, water-gages, &c.-necessary to safe andperfeet operation; but as such devices are well known and their use withapparatus'of this character is well understood they are not shown ordescribed.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an acetylene-gas machine, thecombination with the gas-holder, of a generator comprising a water-tankprovided with an apertured cover, a gas-bell in said tank having avertical tubular extension on top normally contact with the water in thetank by the movement of the bell and supplying the same with gas and acheck-flange upon the tube restricting the buoyancy of the bell.

2. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination of a generator and agas-holder each comprising a water-tank and a gas-bell therein, a pipethrough which the two gas-spaces of the two bells comm unicate with eachother, a carbid-holder in the upper portion of the bell of the generatorand supplying the same with gas, said carbid-holder removably supportedin said gas-bell and provided with an open-ended tube extending aboveand below the bottom of the holder and having perforations for theadmission of water into the holder in the portion extending above theholder.

3. In an acetylene-gas machine, the combination with the gas-holder, ofa generator comprising a tank provided with an apertured guide at itsupper end, a gas-bell in said tank having a vertical tubular extensionon top normally projecting through said aperture and adapted to guidethe gas-bell in its vertical movement, a carbid-holder removably securedin the gas-space of the bell and carried by the bell into and out ofcontact with the waterin the tank by the movement of the bell andsupplying the same withgas and a stop or projection upon the tube tolimit the vertical movement of the bell.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIAM WEBB.

Witnesses:

FRED W. GREEN, LOIS D. KILLAM.

